Ghost Railroads of Tennessee

Rating:
Summary: Grab "Ghost Railroads of TN" While You Can!
Review: This amazing book has long been out-of-print and is a very enjoyable and well-documented collection of histories of long-defunct Tennessee railroads and branch lines. Simply put, it's a fun book to read.

I was particularly interested in the description and pictures of the Smoky Mountain Railroad which came right into downtown Knoxville from up in the mountains of Sevier County. As a student at the University of Tennessee in the late 1970s I can still recall seeing its rails poking out from underneath the gravel commuter parking lot which then covered the old yard, wondering what railroad they must've belonged to.

The only thing I would like to have seen is a chapter or appendix with new material bringing the book up-to-date to the present time from the 1970s where it essentially ends as was done with the recent reprinting of William Middleton's book on the South Shore Line interurban.

Buy it now before you regret missing this opportunity!

Rating:
Summary: Grab "Ghost Railroads of TN" While You Can!
Review: This amazing book has long been out-of-print and is a very enjoyable and well-documented collection of histories of long-defunct Tennessee railroads and branch lines. Simply put, it's a fun book to read.

I was particularly interested in the description and pictures of the Smoky Mountain Railroad which came right into downtown Knoxville from up in the mountains of Sevier County. As a student at the University of Tennessee in the late 1970s I can still recall seeing its rails poking out from underneath the gravel commuter parking lot which then covered the old yard, wondering what railroad they must've belonged to.

The only thing I would like to have seen is a chapter or appendix with new material bringing the book up-to-date to the present time from the 1970s where it essentially ends as was done with the recent reprinting of William Middleton's book on the South Shore Line interurban.

Buy it now before you regret missing this opportunity!

Rating:
Summary: THE definitive book on abandoned railroads in Tennessee
Review: This book is a MUST for any railfan, and definately for any fan of southern railroads within states bordering Tennessee or passing through it. The original volume in good condition will bring $350 to $600 at train shows or collectors book stores. I don't know how long this new reprint will be out, but I would grab one if you are interested in railroad history at all. Sulzer did not just sit at home and write his history; he travelled to Tennessee and walked the old lines himself, talking to old railroaders and people who knew these old lines when they were alive. Often written in a personable tone, and with stories of real people who worked on the lines, the book is fun to read as well as bursting with historical facts. My only complaint against this new edition of the book is that it may make my original edition less valuable. But then using this new one will allow me to keep the old one in better condition.

Rating:
Summary: A must for any Tennessee railroad buff.
Review: While it is a shame that Dr. Sulzer didn't get a chance to write any more 'Ghost Railroad' books, those of us who live (or are interested) in the states of Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana should consider ourselves lucky he started with us. Dr. Sulzer manages to capture not only the history and topography of the routes, but also a little bit of humor and local color as well. The amount of detail he managed to capture is amazing for some routes that at that time had been abandoned for decades. The maps are not the greatest for detail, but that was all he had at the time. This book is a must have for any Tennessee railfan and is well worth the price.